A jury member in the murder trial of Ricardo Barbaro will be reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions for disobeying the judge’s orders.
After Barbaro, 36, entered a not guilty plea to the murder of his on-and-off girlfriend Ellie Price, his trial was set to begin this week in Victoria’s Supreme Court.
In May 2020, Price, 26, was discovered dead in her South Melbourne residence.
On Monday, 14 jurors—10 men and 4 women—were empanelled for the trial in Melbourne.
But on Wednesday morning, Justice Lex Lasry disqualified the jury after learning that one of the members had disobeyed him.
It will be necessary for me to remove you from the jury, he continued.
“You disregarded my instructions. I suggest referring the Director of Public Prosecutions to look into the situation.
The judge says, “Thank you jury, you may now leave the court.”
